We all know the Banyan tree is the national tree of India and with a recent discovery, there is more to this national pride! India, again, houses the world’s oldest banyan tree with an estimation of years spanning between 450 to 500. This time it is in Uttar Pradesh’s Bulandshahr and not in Howrah, West Bengal. Let’s learn more about this discovery in India.
Five Centuries Old, The World’s Oldest Banyan Tree Is In Bulandshahr
In the recent discoveries by scientists, Uttar Pradesh’s Bulandshahr dethroned the Great Banyan tree located at Acharya Jagadish Chandra Bose Indian Botanic Garden in Howrah to win the title of the ‘oldest banyan tree in the world’. The Great Banyan tree is around 350 years old. While Bulandshahr’s banyan tree was found to be around 450 to 500 years old through radiocarbon dating tests.
The discovery was made by an impressive team of scientists from the Botanical Survey of India, Prayagraj Centre, Babe-Bolyai University, and Johannesburg were on a survey mission at the Upper Ganga Ransar. The exact location of this tree is just eight km from Bulandshahr’s Narora Power Plant if you wish to visit.
This research study was published as an article in the ‘Current Science’, a science journal. It was written by scientists Arti Garg, Roxana T Patrut, Adrian Patrut, Laszlo Rakosy, Ileana-Andreea Ratiu, and Stephan Woodborne. You can read the entire article to gain more information.
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Some Facts You Should Know
BEFORE SLEEPING KNOW THIS…
The banyan tree recently discovred in Narora, Bulandshahr (#UP) known as “Kalpavriksha” is found to be the OLDEST #Banyan tree in the World !
The tree is more than 500 years old has circumference of more than 4,069 square metres !!
Must see !! pic.twitter.com/k5c7ixr2c7— Srikanth Matrubai (@SrikantMatrubai) May 30, 2023
The largest surface area of Bulandshahr’s banyan tree’s crown is spread over 4,069 square meters. This makes it rank at the 10th position of giant banyan trees in the world. While Howrah’s the Great Banyan tree has a coverage of 16,531 square meters and ranks at the fourth position in the list. Other trees included in this list are from Gujarat and Madhya Pradesh.
This brings us to another fact about Bulandshahr’s ginormous tree trunk. Only four roots support it! This is rather interesting as it is the oldest banyan tree in the world; mother nature is marvellous.
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Fascinating, isn’t it?
Cover Image Courtesy: Canva (Representative)
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